How did we go from this...

to this...
It seems impossible that those little kids in the first picture have gotten so big, and even more unbelievable that in 3 weeks from today we will be headed to the hospital to meet our precious 'surprise' baby!!!

Last week, on a beautiful, sunny, breezy day the kids and I walked to a duck pond that is pretty close to our house. Well, scratch that. It looks pretty close to our house when we drive by it in the car! When we walk, with two kids, and I'm all-the-way-pregnant, and we didn't bring any drinks, it's actually quite a hike!!! It was a fun day, though, and the kids had a blast. As I sat (resting, trying to summon up enough energy to make it home whenever they decided they were done!) on a nearby bench, I just found myself remembering the days of going to feed ducks pushing a loaded down stroller and being terrified the whole time that one of my small children were going to topple over into the nasty water! This particular day, though, they just looked so big. It was one of those moments where a little bit of sadness hits you even though your heart is smiling. A little bittersweet.

On a day to day basis I strive to enjoy the gift that I have in my children, and I long to bask in the joy they bring to our family each day. The loving way they play together, the fascinating way they learn, the way they sing and pray to God... There are so many lessons for us as adults as we guide and witness our children growing and developing. It's a scary job, but we trust that God will guide us along the way and that he will be able to fertilize our feeble efforts and mold our kids' hearts into strong Christian servants.

We're so close to this new chapter in our lives--I'm days away from being back in that spot where I'm packing a diaper bag every time I need to leave the house for even only 15 minutes, and pushing a loaded down stroller everywhere I go. A little bit scary, I must admit. It's been almost 5 years since I had a baby. Even more than that little bit of fear, though, is growing excitement. We're ready to move forward and see what lies ahead.

Blessed. That's what we are! :)